Motorola Signature 27 Is the First Moto Phone to Support GrapheneOS

Motorola’s new Signature 27 flagship is the first Motorola phone that can run GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused version of Android that lets owners limit how much Google software and services sit on the device, according to GSMArena. The phone ships with Android 17 and Motorola’s own Hello UI, and the company promises 7 years of OS updates.

Presales start Nov. 16 in Europe, the Middle East, Turkey and Africa. The price is €1,400, rising to as much as €1,800 in some regions. GSMArena did not report a North American launch.

What GrapheneOS changes for buyers

Most Android phones come with Google apps and services built in. GrapheneOS is a fork of Android, meaning a separate version built from the same open-source code, aimed at people who want more control over their data. On the Signature 27, buyers can pick between Motorola’s standard Hello UI software and this privacy option.

A brighter, bigger screen

The display measures 6.8 inches and uses a tandem OLED panel. Motorola rates its peak brightness at up to 12,000 nits, close to double the previous Signature, and calls it the brightest phone display ever made. That record is Motorola’s own claim. Motorola also says the tandem design improves efficiency by up to 34% and extends the panel’s lifespan by up to 121%.

Chip, memory and battery

Inside is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. The older Signature used the non-Elite Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. Buyers can choose 12GB or 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage.

The battery holds 7,000mAh, which GSMArena says is 35% more than the last model. Wired charging runs at 90W through Motorola’s TurboPower, and wireless charging reaches 50W, which GSMArena lists as 0 to 100% in 80 minutes. The bigger battery adds bulk: the phone is 8mm thick and weighs 227g, compared with 7mm and 186g for its predecessor.

Four 50MP cameras and a 200MP telephoto

The main camera has 50 megapixels and uses Sony’s Lytia L910, which GSMArena describes as Sony’s first LOFIC sensor. The 3x telephoto camera jumps to a 200MP sensor, up from 50MP on the earlier phone. The ultra-wide and selfie cameras are both 50MP.

Motorola has also added what it calls an EVS action sensor. EVS stands for Event-based Vision Sensor, and Motorola says it can freeze fast-moving subjects in photos.

What it means for Android buyers

The Signature 27 puts Motorola back in the non-folding flagship market, where GSMArena says the brand had seemed to have given up for a while. For buyers in the launch regions, it adds another flagship option alongside Samsung, with a long update promise and a built-in privacy alternative to stock Android. The tradeoff is a thicker, heavier phone and a starting price of €1,400.

Presales open Nov. 16. Motorola sells the phone in colors including PANTONE Capulet Olive and PANTONE Coal Smoke.

Source: GSMArena